Farmer's discovery in Egypt leads to pieces of statues for ancient king

Cairo — Egyptian farmer Khaled al-Shahat was working on his land when he came across something he hadn't seen before. The unusual pink rock led archaeologists to unearth pieces of statues for King Ramses II, who ruled Egypt from 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C.

"I was working on my land on Friday when I came across an unusual stone," al-Shahat told CBS News. "I informed the relevant authorities, and they came to examine it."

The stone turned out to be an ancient pink granite block measuring approximately 1.3 meters long (around 4.26 feet) and bearing two royal titles of Ramses II: "Nesw-Bity" (King of Upper and Lower Egypt) and "Sa-Ra" (Son of Ra, the sun god), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.

Archaeologists began excavations, and near the block they uncovered a colossal head of a statue of Ramses II, measuring approximately 1.6 meters high (around 5.25 feet). The king is depicted wearing the double crown, a symbol of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt around 3100 B.C.

On Wednesday, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy visited al-Shahat's hometown in Al Gharbia Governorate in the Nile Delta to honor him.

The minister presented al-Shahat and his wife with certificates of appreciation, and awarded them a trip to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage in recognition of his honesty and responsible conduct for not keeping the discovery to himself.

"The minister insisted that the citizen be honored in his village, on his own land, and among his family and fellow villagers, in recognition of his honesty, awareness, and sense of responsibility," the ministry said in a statement.

Archaeologists also unearthed the remains of the upper part of the statue's back pillar, bearing Ramses II's formal royal title, or Horus name: Hor Ka Nakht Mery Maat.

The size of the head suggests the complete statue was about 28 feet tall, according to archaeologists.

"I was surprised and happy when they discovered more antiquities," al-Shahat told CBS News. "They told me this might change the history of the area."

Most of a second royal statue, also believed to depict Ramses II, was uncovered. Measuring approximately 2.4 meters long (around 7.87 feet), it is missing its legs and base, as well as part of the upper section of its royal nemes headdress. Its head has clearly visible, well-preserved facial features resembling those of the first statue, the ministry said.

Excavations and archaeological studies are continuing on al-Shahat's land to learn more about the statues, the area's history and its architectural development in ancient Egypt.